The first time Ron was conscious enough of his surrounding, there had been a group of strangers hovering above him. His body was surprisingly numb, he couldn't feel any pain, which he thought was a good bargain. One of the strangers, an elderly woman with curly brown hair pulled into a mess of bun, who's attire reminded him so much of Madam Pomfrey, was looking at him in the eyes and coaxing him to keep them open.
It wasn't as if he didn't give his best shot, he really did; but the numbness also made him feel too light to stay awake and his eyes were hurting from the bright light, so he succumbed to darkness once more.
The second time Ron woke up was to the sounds of muffled voices surrounding him. He was too groggy however, to realize that the voices belonged to Bill and Charlie, who had stood vigil by his side every night, worrying. He didn’t hear Bill saying how useless he felt as the eldest brother who did nothing while Charlie confessed he hardly knew Ron because he was away for most of his life. So caught up were Bill and Charlie in their own regrets that they didn’t even realize of the few seconds when Ron had woken up.
The third time Ron woke up he felt something cold and wet on his lips and when the liquid hit the tip of his tongue, Ron just wanted more of it.
“That’s it mate, it’s only ice chips.”
The voice of Harry Potter however, forced him to open his eyes. It was hard, his eyelids felt as if a hippogriff had sat on them but Ron was determined to see what an ice chip looked like so he told the hippogriff to bugger off and finally opened his eyes.
The sight of his best friend running this ice chip on his lips, however, unnerved Ron. Harry was concentrating too hard to notice that his eyes were opened. Also the fact that Harry was gazing at his lips seemed to be too close for comfort.
“Here Harry, give him another one.”
And it seemed to get weirder because now his own sister was encouraging this…this weird act…and worst, that was her husband! But what scared Ron the worst was the fact that he liked this ice chip thing and wouldn’t want Harry to stop doing what he was doing.
Shivering a little at this strange thought, Ron decided he couldn’t stay awake any longer, so he invited the hippogriff to come back and sit on his eyelids. It was okay, he made it promise not to fart and Ron decided if he couldn’t trust a hippogriff, whom could he trust in this world?
The fourth time Ron woke up, he was feeling less groggy and his throat didn’t feel any better.
He attempted to open his eyes and did it after what felt like forever. His gaze dropped on Fred and George, both suspiciously whispering to each other. Ron forced himself back to sleep.
The fifth time Ron woke up, he didn’t need to open his eyes to know whose hand that was holding on to his, belonged to. It was soft, with a hint of callus from too much writing and probably from flipping too many pages of books in her lifetime.
Ron didn’t want to break this small contact they were having, it felt good to once again have her holding his hand like that. In his supposed slumber, there was no need for a reason for either of them to just hold hands and Ron liked that. The only set back was that he couldn’t return the favor: to caress her hand the way she was caressing his.
However, it was the unexpected drop of tear on his arm that made him stayed very still. Ron wasn’t sure how to face a crying Hermione, especially when he knew he was the cause for it. He wished he could tell her some day, that all the pushing away he had done was because he loved her. No one was there when the mediwizard told him the bad news and he had never told anyone about it; not even his bestfriend Harry. He figured nothing good would ever come from that.
Ron decided he would miss her the most, when it all come to an end.
Just the very thought of that made him hurt all over. The headache seemed to be back with a vengeance and he felt cold all of a sudden. There was a soft ringing in the distance but Ron wasn’t sure if that was just his woozy head playing tricks on him. He heard Hermione’s frantic voice suddenly calling out for help; he couldn’t feel her touch anymore. Not liking it one bit, he willed for sleep to come.
-
When Mediwizard Kyle Lennon paid Ron his final visit before officially releasing him from the hospital, Ron was looking out the window next to his bed. Being that his room was situated on the high floors, there was nothing to look at except for stretch of blue sky and a distant view of ruins from the war.
There was so much to be done once he left the sanctuary of this hospital. Bill had said that the Burrow had suffered considerable damage and they were working on putting it back together and told him not to worry about it but Ron couldn’t help but worry about it; after all, if they failed to put the Burrow back together, where else could they go?
Ron had also decided, that the first person he needed to see soon after being released, was his dad. Charlie had told him that he was still unconscious but Ron just needed to see his face, to see for himself that he was still there, with them, albeit unconscious.
And then they’d probably want to have a family meeting, to go about the funerals.
He could still feel her in his arms, her last words forever playing in his mind.
Ron winced involuntarily as another spasm of pain hit him. He was told in time the pain would lessen and he’d get used to the bandage and moving wouldn’t be so difficult, but for now, the slightest move felt like he was being prodded by sharp objects.
“Ron, have you taken your breakfast?”
“Hey doc,” Ron forced a smile as he turned to face the mediwizard. “I drank some tea and a biscuit, yeah.”
“Good, you’re keeping it down?” Kyle Lennon asked as he placed a file on the bed.
“Yeah, I did.”
“Excellent.”
“So when can I leave exactly?”
“I’ve asked your brother Bill to come and get you in an hour, but before that, I need to talk to you, about your condition.”
“Yeah, sure.”
“Do you want to sit down?” Kyle Lennon asked as he gestured to the empty seat next to his bed.
Ron shook his head. He was leaning against the wall and didn’t want to move unless he really had to. “I’m fine here thanks.”
“Okay well then, I’m sure Nurse Leigh already explained to you about your medications?” Ron nodded at this. “You understand perfectly well what should be done?”
“Yes. She made me a note just in case.” This had the mediwizard laughing.
“Sounds like Nurse Leigh...you’ve also named Harry Potter as your contact person should we have problems finding you or if there was any kind of emergency.”
“Yeah.”
“That means he will be notified whenever we scheduled a check up or physical therapy sessions with you in the future, okay?” Ron nodded again. “Now Ron, I’ve also made you a list of things that you should and shouldn’t do while you’re healing and the food to avoid to prevent from aggravating the wound further. It’ll be owled to you today.”
“Okay, thanks.”
The mediwizard nodded and offered a smile. “There is however, one last thing I need to tell you Ron, are you sure you don’t want to sit down?”
Ron gulped. Usually when someone told you to sit down before saying what they wanted to say, it meant bad news. “I’m alright.”
“Well then. I've told you before that there is no cure yet for your kind of injury and the only way to contain it is by using spells and potions, these procedures involve magic, I’m sure you’re well aware of that." Ron nodded at this and waited for the mediwizard to continue. "Thee problem is, a body can only take so much. Magic no matter how small, is powerful, that is why you tend to feel tired after renewing the spells for the bind. That’s also why it is very important that you don’t exert yourself to strenuous physical activities.”
“I understand.” Ron replied short.
“Ron, to be honest with you, there is no guarantee for how long your body can take such magic. The good thing is, you’re still young so your body has a strong immune system to accept it.”
“Are you saying that one day, my body will reject magic?”
Kyle Lennon nodded regretfully. “I like to think that by then, we have found a cure for you or a more advance spell that minimize the use of magic. That is why it is important that you come for every check up we set up for you. I’ll be working on your case for as long as I’m here at St. Mungo’s, so you can come to me if you need to know anything or if you’re having problems, okay?”
Ron nodded to everything that was being said but his mind was stuck to one thing. “What’s going to happen once my body rejects magic?”
At this, the mediwizard broke his gaze from Ron for a second but it was enough to alarm him. Whatever it was he was going to say, it wouldn't sound good at all. “If we can’t find a way to stop the bleeding, you will bleed out.”
Bleed out? Bleed out till when?“You mean...bleed out until I die?”
Kyle Lennon nodded. “I’m sorry Ron.”
“How…how long do you think I have before…” Ron felt his legs going numb under him; his head was spinning, already he was picturing himself in his deathbed, soaked with his blood as he breathed his last.
“There is no telling Ron, it’s different for-”
“But you’ve had cases like this before haven’t you? I’m not the first one, I know that! What’s the longest a patient had ever lived after getting this?”
“I don’t think it’s wise to know such things Ron. You have to look forward instead of-”
“I have to know this!" Ron felt his legs almost giving up on him but he forced himself to stay up, he knew he only had one chance to milk this information out of the mediwizard. "Please, I just need to know...so I...look, I don't want to keep on worrying and wondeirng when I'm going to die, if you...give me this...timeline...I need to prepare myself."
Kyle sighed and shook his head. “I forgot you’re a Weasley.”
Ron managed a snicker. “We never back down.”
“Yes, yes, I know all about the Weasley stubbornness.”
Kyle smiled. “If you really have to know...the last patient...it was some seventeen years ago, back during the first battle you understand...and the medical aspect of things weren’t as advanced as now so-”
“It’s okay doctor Lennon, just tell me.”
Kyle Lennon frowned, as if it took every ounce left in his body not to break down as he said,“He was a twenty one year old healthy young man and he lived for another three years after the curse…you shouldn’t take that as a timeline for yourself Ron, it’s not good to think that way.”
Three years. He'd be twenty when he dies. He'd be younger than the last patient who died from it some seventeen years ago.
"Ron?"
Ron wondered if he'd bleed out of his nose and ears if the wound was too small for that many blood to flow out of his body as he lay on his bed dying.
"Could you do me a favor Mr. Lennon?"
"What is it son?"
“Could you keep this information from my family? And Harry of course. You can tell them anything else, just not this. Like you said, we don't need to start panicking about this, it'll do no good for anyone."
"I understand Ronald, it's safe with me."
-
After three days of waiting and hoping, the Weasleys along with Harry and her, found themselves seated in Dr. Kyle Lennon's office. They were told that while the internal bleeding had stopped, his fever had yet to break and if it went on any longer, his already weakening body would start to shut down gradually.
Hermione, being the clever witch that she was, knew that what the doctor was trying to say was that, unless Ron fight this fever, he was going to die.
On day four, they had to minimise the use of magic to heal him because his body was too weak to take the kind of power that it holds. Hermione's parents had even offered the mediwizards some help in whatever knowledge they knew on muggle medicine. Intravenous drips were soon attached to his arm, feeding him the nutrients his body desperately needed. The only form of magic still used was the one that would stop the bleeding. Hermione wasn't sure how long that would last until someone would tell her they had to stop using that too.
Ron's fever had went down on day five but they were told that his condition was still unstable, they were also warned that the fever could fluctuate again without warning. There were always a nurse stationed nearby, who would check on him every ten minutes. The day Hermione had paid her daily visit and Ron's heart had gave out on him was day five, today.
When the device clipped on his finger to monitor his heartbeat started to beeped at an alarming speed, Hermione knew that his heart was failing on him and she should have been prepared for such a scene; but the fact was, she wasn't. It didn't make her feel any better just because she knew, or stopped her from panicking or crying over it. There was no way Ron could die, fate couldn't be this cruel, could it?
-
"What on earth are you doing here Ron?"
"Perce? Is that you?"
"Of course it's me, who do you think I was, a ghost? You know what, forget it."
"You're dead!"
"I know that, hence the question!"
"What question?"
"Honestly Ron, you can't be so thick."
"I thought you stop being a git once you die."
"Shut up Ronald and listen to me. I'm dead, you're not, so you can't be here."
"Well that doesn't make much sense now is it? I'm here, you're here, so that means we both are dead. Does being dead makes you less smart?"
"Ron for Merlin's sake you're NOT dead!"
"Then what the fuck am I doing here Percy!"
"Well that's the question innit!"
"I don't know why I've missed you for two years."
"I missed you too."
"Say Perce, is mom here? It's a shame it's so dark in here, I can't even bloody see you! But it'd be wicked if I can talk to mom."
"She's not here Ron."
"Oh great, then this must be hell. You've died and gone to hell didn't you Perce? And now I'm here, that means I'm in Hell too. Brilliant, bloody brilliant!"
"We're not in hell Ron."
"Well if this is heaven it's not bloody brilliant is it? It's just dark."
"This is not heaven either."
"Then where the heck are we?"
"I'm not sure if that's important right now Ron."
"Then what is?"
"Why are you here Ron? Were you in trouble before?"
"I'm always in some kind of trouble."
"Not that kind of trouble. Were you hurt?"
"Right...yeah...now that I think about it...I think was in the hospital Perce."
"Ronnie, you need to listen to me carefully okay? You have to find your way back."
"Easy for you to say, I'm not seeing anything at all Percy, it's all so dark. Maybe I should stay."
"You can't stay! It's not your time yet Ron, you have to go back."
"But it hurts so much when I'm back there and I'm always worrying over everything. It's kinda fun here Perce, I don't have to worry about anything."
"Are you saying you want to be stuck in this place forever, talking, with me?"
"You've got a point."
"Go back Ron, they still need you there."
"What about you?"
"I reckon whoever put me here to find you is going to send me back where I belong. I hope they told mom they took me for a while, she's going to go berserk otherwise."
"You're with mom? What is this place you talked about Percy?"
"It's not your time and place yet to know Ronnie, but I promise you, we're doing great up here, you don't have to worry."
"Could you tell mom you met me?"
"I think I can, yeah."
"Could you tell her I miss her? Everyone miss her. And you of course."
"I know she knows Ronnie, but I'll tell her. Could you tell everyone we miss them as well?"
"They might think I've gone the deep end if I said that."
"Good point."
"So I guess I have to start searching my way back then?"
"You have to, I don't want to stay here for long, it's not a nice place."
"I've never got the chance to say goodbye to you Perce, and thank you, for what you did."
"Neither did I. So goodbye little brother and thank you."
"Thanks Percey, I'll see you again one day."
"Take your time, there's no need for haste."
Tbc…
Author's Chapter Notes:
Here's the next chapter :D thank you again for the detailed reviews, they make me smile :D
